We’ve had a crazy last few weeks here at Tortuga HQ. Today we have a sneak preview of a forthcoming product update, the announcement of our sweepstakes winner, and some great press to share.
On with it then…
Tortuga Backpacks V2
If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you may already know that we’re in the process of redesigning our flagship product.
Why are we making changes less than a year after launching?
First is appearance. While we love the Tortuga, she is a bit…well, fugly. The logo ended up larger than we intended, and the shape was dumbed down to a rectangle during a long, arduous prototyping process. This is the biggest complaint we get from prospective customers.
The new bag will have a drastically smaller logo and a more streamlined shape.
Tortuga V2's less boxy shape
Secondly, we’re using this opportunity to improve some of the Tortuga’s features. While we’re confident in the current feature set, we have found a few areas for improvement. Here’s what we’re planning:
- Make the entire front of the bag zip open for better accessibility
- Move the laptop sleeve to the outside of the main compartment for easier access
- Add a large, exterior pocket on the front of the bag
- Improve the waist belt pockets so that they can hold more
- Add interior and exterior compression straps
- Increase padding in the shoulder straps for extra comfort
Organization pockets along the inside of the cover
Interior compression straps, flaps, and pockets (still in testing)
Please note that these are very early pictures of initial samples from new factories. We still have a lot of work ahead of us before these are ready.
If you have any questions about the bag or want to make suggestions, leave them in the comments or email me (fred AT tortuga backpacks DOT COM). I’d love to hear what you think.
To follow along with the product development process and find out when the new bags are ready, sign up for updates.
Summer Sweepstakes Winner
Congratulations to Agnes C., the winner a boatload of awesome travel gear in our Summer Sweepstakes.
Thanks again to everyone who entered and to our awesome sponsors Clothing Arts, Clever Travel Companion, Gobi Gear, Vapur, and Cocoon.
What do you want to win in the next giveaway? Let us know in the comments.
Entrepreneur’s 100 Brilliant Companies 2012
We’re honored to have been named one of Entrepreneur’s 100 Brilliant Companies for 2012. Entrepreneur chose us as one of ten companies in the travel category alongside two of our favorites: WeHostels and Hotel Tonight.
Thanks to all of you for supporting us through our first ten months as a company. We have a lot of great stuff planned for the future and hope you’ll join us for the ride.
